


Never Say Die

by ikuzonos



Category: Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: 999 Spoilers, Gen, Knife End AU, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 10:22:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15816954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikuzonos/pseuds/ikuzonos
Summary: Santa is more important than Aoi.Knife End AU.





	Never Say Die

**Author's Note:**

> I've... never seen any takes on the Knife End before? I thought it would be fun since it's pretty ambiguous.

Something is on fire. Aoi thinks it might be his lungs.

Everything always goes wrong when Junpei chooses Door 6. The question is really just  _ how _ wrong things will go from here.

Aoi slaps his temple and keeps running. Clover is missing, and that’s all that matters right now.

He manages to reach B Deck before anyone else. He shoves his way inside the First Class cabin, throwing open the door to the bathroom. Aoi’s braced for the scent of blood and the sight of a corpse, but finds only tile.

“She’s not here.”

Aoi spins around to find himself face to face with Akane. Her eyes are oddly vacant, like she herself isn’t present anymore.

“Clover was here the last three times we-” Aoi starts, when Akane holds up her hand.

Akane says, “This is a different path.”

Aoi raises a brow, “Okay, smart one. Where the fuck is Clover, then?”

“Jumpy’s on E Deck,” Akane says instead of answering.

Aoi blinks, “The fuck does that have to do with anything?!”

Akane replies, “He isn’t coming back.”

Aoi’s blood runs cold, “You-”

“I’m going to die soon,” Akane says plainly.

Aoi grabs her shoulders, “No, you’re not! We’ll get them into the fucking incinerator if it  _ kills _ me!”

Akane smiles weakly, and her eyes focus again, regaining a vibrant colour, “Santa? What’s the matter?”

She’s not Akane anymore. She’s June again, June who doesn’t know that she’s the product of an unstable timeloop.

Aoi swallows the bile in his throat and wipes his eyes, “Clover isn’t here. We have to keep looking.”

“Okay, where should we-”

Aoi cuts her off, “I’m going to E Deck. Don’t follow me.”

He spins around and heads back for the hallway, while June calls out something about staying on the deck and continuing to search.

Aoi barely hears her over the sound of his heartbeat.

Down the stairs and through the hallways gets Aoi to the central staircase with his brain still trapped in the tiny bathroom. 

_ She’s not going to die. Not this time. _

The elevator rumbles and Ace steps out from the tiny chamber, brushing dust off of his hands. Aoi swallows as his hands twitch.

If Akane’s right, and she usually is, then Ace has just killed Junpei.

Aoi looks up the stairs for help, to see Seven lingering above him. Aoi quickly signals to the larger man, desperately gesturing for him to come down.

“Where’s the fire?” Seven asks as he approaches, dropping his voice upon seeing Aoi’s expression.

Aoi hisses, “I… I think Clover might be on E Deck. But I’m not sure I can find her alone.”

Seven buys the lie and adjust his hat, “I’ll come with you, then. Let’s not waste anymore time.”

Aoi takes the lead, almost running for the elevator. He jams his finger against the call button, when Ace’s voice rings out behind them.

“Are the two of you heading for E Deck?”

Aoi goes stiff, but Seven replies easily, “Santa thinks we might find Clover down there. I think it’s worth a shot.”

Ace smiles, and Aoi wishes he couldn’t see cyanide behind it, “Ah, I see. If it’s not an issue, I’ll join you two.”

It’s very much an issue, but Aoi is Santa right now. And Santa doesn’t have any grievances with Ace.

Luckily, the elevator opens and Aoi is spared from having to answer. He charges inside and hits the button for E Deck as Seven and Ace clambour in after him.

As the elevator drops, Aoi feels his heart drop with it. He knows what’s down there already.

His brain loops the burning question; why did Ace kill Junpei? Unfortunately, Aoi gets his answer almost as soon as the door opens.

Junpei’s corpse lies directly in front of them, a knife sticking out of his back. 

And Lotus lies dead against the back wall.

“What the  _ fuck?!”  _ Aoi shouts, as the last piece clicks into place.

_ 1 + 8 + 9 = 9 _

Junpei was nothing more than unfortunate collateral. Aoi’s heart lurches.

Seven rushes out and grabs Lotus’s wrist, then curses, “She’s gone. They’re… both really-”

“Of course they’re dead,” Aoi snaps, “Their bracelets are gone. Zero said they only come off if your heart stops.”

They must be in Ace’s coat pocket. Aoi clenches his fists.

“I’ll find June,” Seven says, rubbing his forehead and getting back into the elevator, “You two make sure… nothing else happens.”

Aoi says weakly, “She’s on B Deck.”

Neither Seven nor Ace questions why he knows that. Aoi gets out of the doorway and kneels next to Junpei for a moment, trying to find something he can look at.

Of course, the second the doors close, he’s alone with Ace. Ace who has just killed two people. Ace can’t kill  _ him _ because otherwise, he’ll be found out, but it doesn’t ease Aoi’s heart rate.

“Do you think Clover killed them?” Ace asks, placing a hand on Lotus’s shoulder like he isn’t homicidal.

“The-the fuck makes you say that?” Aoi replies.

Ace shrugs, “She’s vanished, and two people are dead. It’s the logical conclusion.”

It takes everything in Aoi’s power not to strangle Ace.  _ Santa _ has no reason to harm Ace, he reminds himself, and he’s Santa before he’s anything else right now.

Santa has no qualms with saying, “I don’t like that, but I guess it makes sense.”

(Santa doesn’t want Ace dead, but Aoi does. Aoi wants to rip this man’s face to shreds with his fingernails and smash every bone with a hammer. Aoi wants to tear the man’s rib cage open and steal his heart, wants to cut off his limbs one by one.

But Santa doesn’t. Santa is more important than Aoi.)

He’s saved - quite literally - by the bell yet again, when the elevator door opens with a ding. Seven emerges, carrying June (or is she Akane?) in his arms.

“June!” Aoi cries.

Seven says, “She’s alive. Didn’t take the news about Lotus and Junpei well. Hasn’t seen Clover.”

To prove his point, he sets June down, and her eyes flicker open. She looks frail, and she clings to Seven’s arm like it’s the only thing keeping her alive.

It might be, actually. Aoi bites his lip.

Ace folds his arms, “This isn’t looking good for us. There’s a strong chance that Clover attacked these two, and is now in hiding.”

“Clover wouldn’t-“ June breathes, before wheezing desperately.

Aoi rushes over to her side and feels her forehead. Hot.

There’s no point in pretending anymore. He can’t hide that he would gladly die a thousand times over to protect her.

(Never mind that he hasn’t yet managed that.)

“Hey, hey, just breathe,” Aoi says carefully, gripping her hand, “You’re gonna be just fine.”

Ace frowns, “Is her fever back?”

“Yeah, and it’s worse than before,” Seven says, “I can feel her burning up.”

Aoi’s throat clenches. 

_ He doesn’t know he doesn’t know he doesn’t know he doesn’t- _

“It’s okay, Aoi,” she murmurs, and that’s how he knows that he’s talking to Akane, not June.

Aoi whispers, “Hold on. I’m sure I can get everyone inside on time, if you just-“

Akane smiles, her gaze clouded, “It’s too late. It was too late from the very start. You remember the doors he picked.”

Sure he does. Junpei’s route was 5 | 7 | 6. 

“That doesn’t matter!” Aoi raises his voice, “June, please!”

A single tear slips from her eye, as she falls limp in his arms. In the back of his mind, Aoi can hear her burning to death, nine years in the past.

Carefully, he lays her down, folding her arms over her chest. When he looks back at the others, Seven has his hat off and has lowered his head. Ace’s eyes are closed.

Akane Kurashiki is dead. And that means that Santa no longer has control over Aoi.

And Aoi is this close to murdering Ace himself.

“We have to keep going,” Ace says, opening his eyes, “Time is running out.”

Seven opens his mouth, presumably to argue, judging by his expression, but Aoi beats him to the punch.

“You shut the fuck up right this second.”

Ace raises an eyebrow, “Santa, I understand that you’re upset, but-“

“I said, shut the fuck up,” Aoi snarls, “We are the  _ only _ people still alive. Which means that one of us is a fucking murderer.”

“Clover is still-“

Aoi snaps, “If Clover isn’t dead, I’ll eat my fucking bracelet!”

Seven says, “I hate to admit it, but there’s a strong chance that Clover’s gone.”

Aoi says, “Now, I can’t speak for Snake, but I know who killed Lotus and Junpei.”

_ Bang bang bang _ goes the coffin.

Ace raises an eyebrow, “Oh? And what brilliance-“

“It was you,” Aoi interrupts, “Ace killed them.”

Ace’s face darkens, “That is a very bold accusation.”

Seven says, “Look, kid, where is this coming from?”

Aoi hisses, “Do the fucking math! Who has the most to gain from killing Lotus at this stage?!”

Seven’s expression changes, “Eight plus one… equals nine.”

Ace replies, “You seem to forget that a numbered door needs three to five participants to open. Killing Lotus would get me nowhere.”

That is true. But if Aoi reveals the truth about the 9 bracelet, then he probably won’t live for very long.

_ Think think think- _

It hits him like lightning, “Of course. Why else would you have killed Junpei and Clover as well?”

Ace frowns.

Seven says what Aoi is thinking, “Four plus five equals nine. With those two bracelets, plus Lotus…”

“Exactly,” Aoi states, “Ace murdered three people for this. Fuck, maybe he killed Snake too! He’s certainly enough of a fucking psychopath for it.”

There’s a long moment of silence. Then, Ace laughs. 

He clutches the side of his head as he does so. Aoi knows he’s won, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

“Congratulations,” Ace says, “You found me out. You had almost everything right… I haven’t touched a hair on Clover’s obnoxious head.”

Seven’s eyes fly open, “What the hell?!”

Ace just smiles, “Snake, Lotus, and Junpei… Well, Junpei was an accident. He was in my way.”

Aoi snarls, “You fucking bastard. How much blood do you have under your nails?!”

Ace frowns, “Did I not just tell you?”

“You murdered my sister, Hongou!” Aoi shouts, “Nine years ago!”

Ace goes expressionless, “Someone’s smarter than they look.”

Seven clenches his fists, “Hold on,  _ you’re  _ Gentarou Hongou?!”

“The CEO of Cradle Pharmaceuticals,” Aoi spits, “And the bastard behind the first Nonary Game.”

Ace cracks a smile, “Guilty. But if your sister was that wretch who died, it’s your own fault. You were supposed to send her the answers.”

“You put her in the wrong fucking group!” Aoi responds, “She was supposed to be in Building Q!”

Aoi barely resists the urge to punch him. Seven doesn’t, but Ace catches his fist in mid air.

“Careful,” Ace warns, “I’ve killed three people in the last six hours. That number could very easily become four… or five.”

Aoi takes this split second to glance at Akane. Or rather, at the steel ground where Akane used to be.

She doesn’t exist anymore. His throat seizes up.

Suddenly, Ace reaches into his coat. Aoi takes a step back, already knowing what’s waiting for him.

“The fuck are you-“ Seven cuts himself off when Ace points the golden pistol as him.

_ I should have taken it when- _

Ace says, “There’s only one bullet. So tell me, which one of you shall I spare?”

Aoi’s heart leaps into his throat. If Ace shoots him, then his consciousness might get lucky and wake up in a better timeline, one where Akane lives.

Where they all live.

In this one, it’s just him and Seven and Clover, if she’s unlucky. Snake - no,  _ Light  _ \- is almost certain to suffocate.

“Brains… or brawn?” Ace says, almost to himself, as he moves the gun between the two of them.

Then, he stops, with the barrel directed at Aoi’s heart. He hears Ace pull the trigger.

…

And Seven leaps in front of him.

“What the fuck?!” Aoi screams as Seven falls to the ground without a word, blood leaking from a hole in his chest.

Ace sighs and blows smoke off the gun, “I always did enjoy a good battle of wits.”

Aoi stares blankly at Seven. The larger man is completely still, his half open eyes glassy. He kneels down and with one quick grace, closes Seven’s eyes.

This is the second time this man has saved his life.

He spots Ace kneel too, but he can’t fathom why. It becomes clear when the two stand back up, however. Aoi doesn’t have it in him to protest as Ace places Seven’s bracelet in in pocket.

“Let’s get moving,” Ace says, “It isn’t long before six, and I’d rather not drown at the end of this lovely adventure.”

They have all the time in the world, but Aoi has no plans to explain this. Instead, he turns and starts walking. The chapel isn’t far.

Ace presses the pistol into his back as they walk.

“I thought there was only one bullet in that,” Aoi grumbles as he pushes the chapel door open.

Ace says, “I think you and I both know it was a bluff.”

Aoi casts a glance at the coffin. It’s silent now. Is Light still barely clinging to life, or is he going to be yet another corpse for Crash Keys to pick up after it’s all over?

“Which door?” Ace grunts, “I know one of them is a straight shot to the incinerator, but I can’t remember which one. You’ll have to forgive my old brain.”

Aoi shrugs, “I don’t fucking know. We can split up if you fork over some of the bracelets-“

Ace laughs, “You must be joking. I have no plans to let you out of my sight. Besides, if you really did play this game nine years ago…”

Aoi grits his teeth, “The large one. The smaller one goes to the library first.”

“Thank you,” Ace says, jostling him forward, “Would you like to do the honours?”

Aoi swallows and presses his left hand on the RED. The 9 value of his bracelet is obscured by the asterisk.

Ace authenticates, then opens his coat, “Now… which of these lovely toys shall we use?”

_ 1 + 8 + 9 = 18 = 9 _

“The eight bracelet,” Aoi says, his heart pounding.

Ace raises a brow, “But that will leave us with a digital root of three.”

This is the first time he hasn’t been able to go through a door with Akane. 

“Just trust me,” Aoi says, his voice low and dry.

Ace doesn’t break eye contact as he takes Lotus’s bracelet and authenticates it, then pulls the lever.

The door opens.

“Told you,” Aoi tries to smirk, but his face won’t respond.

Ace eyes him suspiciously, but doesn’t say a word as they push inside, in search of the DEAD.

The second they find it, Aoi slams his arm against it. Ace, and the eight bracelet, quickly follow suit.

“Would you care to explain that?” Ace asks as they approach the incinerator.

Aoi says flippantly, “I thought you wanted a battle of wits. Think for your fucking self.”

He thinks, for a moment, that Ace will kill him. Instead, the man just laughs and taps on the incinerator door.

“It’s been quite some time, old friend,” Ace chuckles.

Aoi grits his teeth and opens the door. This wasn’t how he hoped to get here. Not even close.

“You’re young,” Ace says, “So complete the last puzzle, will you? For your sister’s honour.”

“Fuck off,” Aoi snarls. It’s all he can do to keep from crying. Akane is gone, gone, gone.

It’s just sudoku. He knows the answer because he helped Akane program it, pulling it from the tatters of her unstable memories.

The morphogenetic field is dead silent. The last trace of hope fades from Aoi’s heart as he inputs the numbers.

_ “Warning. Automatic incineration to begin in… five minutes.” _

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t stay,” Ace says.

Aoi barely manages to look at him before Ace violently shoves him to the ground. His head bangs against the concrete, sending an ugly rush through him. 

Then, a sickening crack echoes through the room. It takes him a moment to realize it’s from his leg.

Ace smiles again, the same calm expression he held for so long, “It’s quite poetic. You and your sister, burning to ash in the same place.”

Aoi spits at him. Blood comes out.

Ace doesn’t respond and instead turns for the door. Aoi can see him rustling around for the right bracelets.

A smile cracks onto his bloodstained lips.

Ace pulls the lever, but the door doesn’t open. He tries again, but there’s no response.

“What the hell?!” He shouts, his face filled with unbridled fury.

Aoi laughs.

At first it’s a small chuckle, but it grows and grows as he gets to his feet slowly, and limps towards the wall.

Ace points the pistol at him, “What is so amusing about this?!”

_ “Warning. Automatic incineration will begin in… two minutes.” _

“You can’t open it,” Aoi grins, “There’s only one combination that will get that door open.”

Ace raises an eyebrow.

“You need bracelets 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8,” Aoi continues, “And curiously enough, you have no access to Snake and Clover’s bracelets.”

Ace’s expression darkens, “How could you  _ possibly _ know that?”

“The same reason I know everything about you,” Aoi responds, “And why my bracelet has a different value than it reads.”

Ace’s eyes fly wide open.

Aoi smirks, “I’m Zero.”

With this lie, he steals Akane’s legacy. But the look on Ace’s face is absolutely worth it.

“This game was all revenge for your sister’s death?!” Ace exclaims.

Aoi says, “It’s a little more complicated than that. But choosing you specifically to participate? Yes.”

_ “Warning. Automatic incineration will begin in… one minute.” _

Ace shouts, “There has to be another way out!”

“It’s poetic justice,” Aoi says, “You die in the same way you killed Akane.”

“But you’ll die too!” Ace’s voice is getting frantic.

Aoi laughs again, leaning against a panel on the wall as blood trickles out his mouth, “I’m Santa, remember? Santa Claus is pretty good at disappearing without a trace.”

_ “Warning. Automatic incineration will begin in… ten seconds.” _

Aoi shoves the panel and slips through it, limping away as fast as he can. Ace bangs on it desperately, but it’s designed to only open once.

In a better timeline, he and Akane were supposed to escape like this. Aoi shakes his head and continues to move.

Ace screams, but he can’t find it in himself to smile.

There’s a door at the very end of the tunnel. Aoi pushes it open and squints as hot sunlight blazes down on him. His bracelet falls from his wrist and hits the ground.

His vision focuses and Aoi registers the helicopter with the Crash Keys emblem. There’s a few people standing there too, but he doesn’t get a good look at any of them before he collapses on the sand.

“Mr. Kurashiki!” 

English. The accent is American. Aoi groans as he feels himself being picked up.

He and Akane had contacted a few of their American representatives for damage control. Aoi groans as noise picks up around him.

“Sir, we didn’t receive the signal from you and Ms. Kurashiki, so we arrived as requested,” the man holding him states, “Are you the only survivor?”

Aoi wheezes, “The Fields… Light’s in… the coffin… Clover is… I don’t know. You have to go back… for them.”

“You heard him!” The man shouts, “Light and Clover Field must be located! Turn over every inch of the building!”

Aoi splutters. Blood trickles out of his mouth.

Yet another beautiful failure.

-

Reasonably, Aoi shouldn’t be anywhere near here. But he’s never prided himself on being a reasonable person.

The Fields live in a respectable, though small home. He adjusts his coat and climbs the steps, then stops right at the door, his fist raised to knock.

Light had been rescued at the cusp of death, though had apparently recovered with minimal respiratory damage. Clover had apparently hidden herself inside a cupboard in the First Class Cabin, and had been discovered unconscious.

They were both alive, which is more than Aoi can say about anyone else, himself included.

Did he die when Akane fell limp in his arms on E Deck? Or when he left Ace to burn in the incinerator? Perhaps he died nine years ago, as his fists uselessly banged on the steel while Akane howled in agony, and burned, burned, burned.

It’s too early in the morning to be this existential. Aoi knocks on the door.

It opens quickly and he’s faced with a mousey middle aged woman. Hanako Field.

“Hi, Ms. Field,” Aoi says, extending a hand, “I’m a friend of Light’s. Is he home?”

Hanako blinks a few times, then takes his hand and shakes it, “Ah, yes. He’s upstairs. Have we met before?”

He tries not to let his nerves show, “I’m not sure. My name is Aoi, perhaps-”

Hanako clasps her hands, “Oh! Yes, Light’s spoken about you before. Please, come in!”

Aoi blinks, but doesn’t question it aloud. What reason could Light possibly have to speak of him? Nothing comes to mind.

(Light’s fists slam against the steel in time with his own, because he knows how frightening it must be to lose a sibling.)

“Light!” Hanako calls out, “You have a friend here to visit you!”

Light’s voice is weary, “Oh?”

Hanako pushes him gently towards the staircase, “First room on the right. Go on!”

Aoi forces a smile, “Thank you.”

He slowly climbs upwards, digging his nails into the wooden railing.

Light is sitting on the floor of his room. It’s kind of weird to see him in casual clothing.

“Aoi?” he whispers hoarsely.

“Yeah,” Aoi says, closing the door and sitting down across from him, “Did you know the whole time?”

Light says, “From the moment I heard your voice on C Deck. It was… a surprising comfort.”

Aoi’s throat tightens, “I’m so sorry.”

Light says nothing to this, but his eyes close.

“Where’s Clover?” Aoi asks, trying to diffuse the time bomb within him.

“With her therapist,” Light responds, “Though I believe she may be on her way home by now.”

Aoi swallows, “Ah.”

Light says, “I do have a question, and please forgive me if this is too personal… but it concerns your sister.”

“Just fucking hit me,” Aoi mutters, “What?”

Light pauses for a moment, “I know that nine years ago…”

Aoi closes his fists, “Hongou killed her.”

“Yes,” Light agrees, “But was Akane not also a participant in the second Nonary Game? June?”

Aoi leans back against the wall, “God. It’s… it’s really fucking complicated.”

Light sighs, “I gathered. But I have all the time in the world to listen.”

Aoi rubs his face, “I believe it. Well, you probably already knew this… but Akane and I were Zero.”

“I did suspect it,” Light admits, “But I was never certain. Hongou was quite the red herring.”

“I wanted him to suffer,” Aoi growls, “Akane thought she could get him to repent. Bastard went and murdered four people instead.”

Light folds his hands, “Repent…”

Before Aoi can continue, the door flies open.

“Light! I’m home!” Clover declares, skipping inside, before completely stopping short, “Santa?!”

“Aoi,” he says, “Actually.”

Clover closes the door and sinks to her knees, concern dotting her face, “What’s going on? Why are you here?”

Aoi sighs, “I thought I’d explain the truth of the Nonary Game to your brother. We… didn’t get very far, so if you’d like to listen…”

“What truth?” Clover tilts her head.

Aoi takes a deep breath, “I guess, from the beginning… I was Zero.”

-

It takes six hours to explain everything, with the two slipping in questions here and there. But by the time the sun sets, the two have found out every last detail that Aoi knows.

He returns to his apartment (in a better life it’s  _ their _ apartment and Akane is curled up on the sofa) with heavy limbs.

The window is open. The curtains flap uselessly in the light breeze. Aoi slowly approaches it and closes it, fumbling for a latch that was ripped off.

He pauses. It’s dark. 

There’s nothing left for him. The Fields have closure. Everyone else is dead.

Aoi stumbles into his bathroom and opens the medicine cabinet. He pours a series of pills into his hand, then swallows them, washing it down with a swig of water.

From there, he blearly returns to his bed and slumps down uselessly.

If he wakes up, he’ll dye his hair, change his name, and leave the country. Completely vanish from the lives of everyone he knows, and do some self discovery.

If he doesn’t…

Well, Aoi died nine years ago. It doesn’t matter that his corpse will only be found now.


End file.
